SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



I5 1 



I now saw that it was an ordinary domestic cat, 

 which was evidently hunting the rabbit by scent. 

 This occurrence was quite new to me. I have 

 seen a rabbit hunted in this manner by a stoat, an 

 occurrence which has often been noticed, but I 

 lot aware that a cat would act in the same 

 manner. Domestic cats often stray into woods, 

 and are very destructive to game, but I did not 

 know that thev could hunt hares or rabbits bv 

 scent. — R. H. Meadt F R.C.S., Mount Roya, 

 Bradj Sef i tst, 1S97. 



Maternal Instinct of Spider. — In Kirby and 

 Spence's "Entomology," mention is made of a 

 .-riirr "—.: : • /'...:.".r. which is maternally attached 

 to a bag of eggs which it carries about with it, 

 protecting them with great care. It is said it will 

 I .: : :> the death rather than lose these eggs. To 

 myself of the accuracy of this statement, I 

 made the following experiment with a specimen 



is species which I had recently procured. 

 Having rid her of the bag of eggs, I fixed them 



3. pin to a piece of cork attached to my 

 greenhouse, and then watched with extreme 



■-: the spider's endeavours to get the eggs 

 away from their fixed situation on the cork. 

 Having tried in vain for some time, she devised a 

 means which I have not seen recorded before 

 respecting this species. Some few inches away 

 from the cork a plant of Virginia creeper grew, 

 and from one or the leaves to the bag of eggs she 

 spun several threads, all coming to a point at this 

 attachment to the bag of eggs on the cork. Very 

 soon after spinning these threads I found she had 

 succeeded in detaching the eggs and had made her 

 escape, leaving no trace behind. As to the actual 

 way in which the web was used to detach the 



I cannot with certainty say. That the web 

 was made to enable her to obtain greater power in 

 removing the eggs I have very little doubt ; I 

 should think that the wind acting on the leaf 

 would cause it to oscillate, which would put a 

 greater strain on the threads and would probably 

 be the means of pulling the eggs from their 

 situation on the cork. I shall be pleased to 

 hear if any other reader of Science-Gossip has 

 witnessed any form of this peculiar trait of this 

 species — F W. Smith, 12, King Street, Camden 

 ■:h, 1897. 



Bat in co. Down — In the last week 

 of June of the present year I captured, in Aghaderg 

 House, co Down, a male, reddish-grey bat 

 pecies known as V tsptrt Mo natter cri. It was 

 found flying about a bedroom, where, unlike either 

 oommon bats, it made considerable noise in 

 and knocked down some small articles. 

 I had it in my hand I noticed its light 

 and thai its squeaks were louder than those 

 ; by other bats I have met with. The speci- 

 men was sen: to Mr. J Ray Hardy, of the Man- 

 chester Museum, Owens College, who kindly 

 identified it and sent me several excellent photo- 

 graphs of it in various postures, and be has, I 



animal is scarce, 

 It has not pre- 

 .0 far as I am aware, as found in 

 '.'.' Lett, Atfhadeti; Glebe, I 

 ■ 



HAI: 



interested in en' DM an;, ir : 



■ 

 of observing the larv.v oMCl 'luring the 



present season, as, in this neighbourhood (Newark - 

 on-Trent, Notts) they have been so abundant as to 

 cause a very considerable havoc among the lime- 

 trees. Especially is this noticeable among some 

 fine young trees recently planted by the Newark 

 Corporation on each side of the entrance to the town 

 by the Great North Road, so familiar to cyclists. 

 Trees of a larger growth attacked by the larvae 

 (I am writing of the lime, for the elm does not 

 abound just round here) have presented this year 

 an unusually early autumnal appearance, and I 

 fancy this must be due to the persistent sapping of 

 the healthy leaves. The curious part is that the 

 creatures are super-abundant, but they appear 

 at the present moment (September 6th, 1S97) 

 in all stages of development, from first skin to 

 last. Surely this is exceptional, for I read in my 

 Newman, " the caterpillars are full fed towards 

 the end of July." Another point is, that not- 

 withstanding the amount of larvae, I have not once 

 taken the perfect insect, although I have searched 

 in places I know to be its favourite haunts. The 

 only specimens I have hatched out about the 

 middle of May from some last year's pupae. I 

 apologize for the length of this note, my only 

 excuse is that in the search for rarities our 

 commonest friends in the entomological world 

 get completely overlooked, and, although I show 

 my ignorance, I should like to have the advantage 

 of the opinion of an expert through your valuable 

 columns on the reasons: (1) as to the marked 

 variation in larval development ; (2) the apparent 

 scarcity of the perfect insect at the proper season. 

 — Herbert A. Hole, Newark -npon-Trent. . 



Badger in Sussex. — A male badger (Meles 

 taxusj was taken at Lordings, Billingshurst, seven 

 miles south-west of Horsham, on June 22nd last, 

 and is being preserved by Mr. A. Richardson, of 

 Park Street, Horsham. The badger is now of 

 very rare occurrence in this district. — Clias. J. 

 Marten, 30, London Road, Horsham. 



Swiney Lectures on Geology. — A course of 

 twelve lectures on the " Geological History of 

 Invertebrate Animals," will be delivered by Dr. 

 R. H. Traquair, M.D., L.L.D., F.R.S., in the 

 Lecture Theatre of the South Kensington Museum, 

 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, at 5 p.m., 

 beginning Monday, October 4th, and ending on the 

 29th of that month. These lectures, which are to 

 be illustrated by lantern slides, are free of admis- 

 sion to the course. It will be observed that the 

 site of these lectures has been removed from the 

 Natural History Museum to the South Kensington 

 Museum. The course is under the direction 

 of the trustees of the British Museum, and 

 should prove valuable to biologists as well as to 

 geologists. 



Slugs. — In reply to Mr. A. J. Taylor (mite 123), 

 the genera Veronicella and Vaginula are now con- 

 sidered synonymous. The descriptions of the species 

 are scattered in different books and periodicals. 

 Il 1 on 1 ; i itish Slugs is Mi \\ 

 Denison Roebuck, 259, Hydi Pari Koad, Leeds; 

 and for foreign slugs, Professor H. Simroth, Leip- 

 traue, 1, Gohlis, Lelpzic, Germany Tni 

 error in spelling the above genera occurred through 

 our not seeing proof until too late [0 correct, and 

 from the peculiar shape of the letters in our corn 

 spondent s writn. 



1 ■ ball I" plea led to correspond ■ Ith 



Mr A 'I 'I lug 



W L.W.I ,),../, ,./ 



